Tauzin scores a double, ASM struggles in the scoring zones… The tops and the flops

2023-11-26 00:57:20

At home, the reigning champion defeated ASM Clermont (31-10) on Saturday evening, for the 8th day of Top 14. Here are the highlights and flops of the match.

TOPS

Stade Toulousain improves and finds its way to victory

A week after their defeat in the derby against Castres Olympique (31-23), the Haut-Garonnais got their heads back together at home against ASM Clermont. At the end of a choppy match in which the slippery ball caused numerous inaccuracies and stoppages in play, Stade Toulousain managed to score the offensive bonus just before the siren thanks to its replacement scrum half Baptiste Germain, well helped by a solo raid by Thomas Ramos. In the standings, this victory allows the French champions to move back into the lead, in 6th place (23 points).

Lucas Tauzin’s double

Second knife in the XXL squad of the Rouge et Noir, winger Lucas Tauzin distinguished himself on Saturday evening by planting a double at the end of the line, well served by Matthis Lebel (53rd) then Antoine Dupont (69th). If the Toulouse game has long been messy, the three-quarters were able to seize the rare opportunities offered to them, as evidenced by the first try from Santiago Chocobares (24th) or the two decisive passes from Matthis Lebel, placed back at the back during this match.

The Clermontois forwards are present in the fight

Many people believed that ASM Clermont presented itself with a largely overhauled starting XV at Ernest-Wallon. Faced with Toulouse who could count on the presence of numerous internationals, the young Auvergne shoots, some of whom were making their first match sheet, held off the French champions for more than an hour of play. Omipresent in the zones of rucks, the Clermont forwards constantly put pressure on the Rouge et Noir, who very rarely managed to implement their characteristic back game. This bodes well for Christophe Urios and his staff for the rest of the season.

FLOPS

Antoine Dupont uninspired despite his return to the fray

The disillusionment suffered at the World Cup will take time to digest. Back with his number 9 on his back, a week after playing fly-half in Castres, Antoine Dupont delivered a performance that we are not used to. It must be said that the expectations around him are extraordinary. Struggling to get the match going, sometimes late in the ruck zones and helped by Arthur Retière who turned into a scrum half in certain sequences, the French rugby star had too little influence on the match and did not performed no interval shots.

ASM’s missed opportunities

Eye-catching on Saturday evening, ASM Clermont may harbor regrets by returning home with zero points on the clock. In contact at the end of the first act (7-3), the Jaunards had several opportunities to turn the match to their advantage. But it didn’t happen. We inevitably think of the enormous opportunity of Yérim Fall who, after intercepting the ball and extending his foot for himself in the in-goal, collapsed in the scoring zone while raising his arms towards the referee to report foul play by Thomas Ramos. After video refereeing, the Clermont winger was contradicted by the images and would undoubtedly have done better to concentrate more on the ball than on the return of his opposite number. A momentum which could have allowed the Auvergnats to take the advantage in the score. At the end of the match, Thomas Rozière had the opportunity to put his team back in the defensive bonus but dropped a hot ball just in front of the opposing goal. Inaccuracies which are costly when doing the accounts.